Apparatus and methods for automated handling and embedding of tissue samples

ABSTRACT

An automated machine for handling and embedding tissue samples contained on microtome sectionable supports. The machine includes an input member configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports prior to a tissue embedding operation. An output member is configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports after the tissue embedding operation. A cooling unit is configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports during the tissue embedding operation. A motorized carrier assembly is mounted for movement and configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports. The carrier assembly moves the support from the input member to the cooling unit and, finally, to the output member. A dispensing device dispenses an embedding material onto the microtome sectionable support and at least one tissue sample carried by the microtome sectionable support during the embedding operation.

The present application is a continuation of PCT Serial No.PCT/US02/30779 filed on Sep. 26, 2002 (now pending), the disclosure ofwhich is hereby fully incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods forhandling and embedding tissue samples for biopsy analysis and, moreparticularly, for handling and embedding such samples in an automatedmanner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To accurately diagnose various tissue diseases and conditions, medicalpersonnel must remove one or more samples of tissue from the body of apatient. This process of harvesting tissue from the body is known as abiopsy. Once the tissue sample or samples are removed and sent to apathology laboratory, the tissue will go through a series of proceduresperformed by a histotechnician and, ultimately, a pathologist, in orderto diagnose the tissue. The present invention generally relates to thoseprocedures that are normally performed by the histotechnician to preparethe tissue sample or samples into slides that may be analyzed under amicroscope by the pathologist.

Although the singular term “sample” is used throughout thisspecification, it should be understood that this term likewiseencompasses plural “samples” as well. Once a tissue sample is removedfrom the body of a patient, it is typically placed into a specimencontainer containing a tissue fixative solution and then the containeris transported to a pathology laboratory. The tissue will undergo aprocess known as “grossing-in” in the pathology lab during which ahistotechnician will retrieve the tissue sample from the container,typically cut the tissue into appropriate sizes for tissue processing,place individual samples into the appropriate sized small plastic tissuecassettes, and assign tracking numbers to each cassette. These trackingnumbers are then logged into a tracking system used in the laboratory.For the smallest tissue samples, which may only be scrapings, thecassette will have fine mesh openings on the sides and bottoms. In othersituations involving very small tissue samples, the samples are placedinto a bag that resembles a tea bag and prevents the smallest tissuesamples from escaping. Larger tissue samples are placed into cassetteshaving somewhat larger slotted openings which are again smaller than thetissue sample inside the cassette.

The cassettes are then placed into a stainless steel perforated basketand run through a tissue processing machine, often overnight. Thismachine uses a combination of vacuum, heat, and chemicals to remove theinterstitial fluids. Once the fluids have been removed from the tissuesamples, the processing machine immerses the tissues samples in a bathof molten paraffin so that the interstices in the tissue are replacedwith paraffin. The histotechnician then removes the basket from themachine and removes the individual tissue cassettes. At an embeddingstation, which has a molten paraffin reservoir and dispenser, thehistotechnician will individually remove the tissue from each cassette.The histotechnician must carefully orient the tissue sample, based ontissue type, into a stainless steel base mold which is roughly the sizeof the tissue cassette and is partially filled with molten paraffin. Themolten paraffin is then rapidly cooled on a refrigerated plate, whichmay be a thermal electric cooler (TEC), to partially solidify theparaffin thereby holding the tissue sample in the proper orientation.The cassette is then placed on top of the base mold and paraffin ispoured through the opened top of the cassette into the base mold. Thecassette changes its function at this point in the procedure from atissue holding component to a fixation device for later use in takingshavings from the solidified wax or paraffin. The base mold is chilleduntil all of the molten paraffin has solidified and the histotechnicianremoves the stainless steel base mold from the block of embeddedparaffin. The tissue sample is thus embedded within a rectangular blockof paraffin with a plastic tissue cassette on the opposite side. As withthe tissue processing machine, the embedding process is accomplished ina batch fashion during which an average histotechnician may embedapproximately 40 to 60 cassettes per hour.

The blocks of hardened paraffin containing the embedded tissue samplesare then ready to be sliced into extremely thin sections for placementon a microscope slide. This slicing operation is accomplished in adevice known as a microtome. The histotechnician mounts the embeddedtissue block in a chuck on the microtome which is sized to accept theside of the block that has the embedded plastic cassette. Thehistotechnician can then begin slicing the paraffin block which has thetissue sample embedded opposite to the plastic cassette surface. Thisyields a ribbon of individual slices of the tissue embedded in theparaffin. The action of the microtome causes the individual slices tostick together when done properly and, subsequently, these very thinribbons of slices are floated into a water bath and a glass slide iscarefully placed underneath the slice. The slice, with the thinsectioned tissue sample embedded therein, is then adhered to the top ofthe slide.

When the histotechnician has enough slides from the tissue sample, theslides are placed into an automatic staining machine. The stainingmachine goes through a series of infiltrating steps to stain thedifferent tissue and cells of the slide different colors. This helps thepathologist identify different structures and makes it easier to findany abnormalities in the tissue. After the staining procedure iscomplete, the slides are cover slipped and prepared for the pathologistto place under a microscope to analyze.

Based on the summary of the procedure provided above, it will beappreciated that conventional tissue sample handling and processing is avery labor-intensive process involving several manual steps performed bya histotechnician. Thus, repetitive stress injuries such as carpaltunnel syndrome are prevalent. This is especially true with the tissuesample embedding process. These multiple manual operations and redundanthandling increase the likelihood of human error and, moreover, requirehighly trained and skilled histotechnicians to ensure that the tissuesamples ultimately adhered to the slides for analysis by the pathologistare in an optimum condition and orientation to make accurate diagnoses.The conventional methods for preparing tissue biopsy slides have beenbatch mode processes, as mentioned above, in which the histotechnicianwould move from process step to process step with a preselected numberof cassettes based on the speed at which that histotechnician canoperate.

One system and method has been developed to increase the productivityand reduce the occurrences of human error during the process ofpreparing tissue samples for biopsy analysis. In this regard, U.S. Pat.No. 5,817,032, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference herein, relates to a tissue trapping and supporting device,which may be a cassette, and which may be cut with a microtome. When acassette is used, the tissue sample is immobilized within the cassetteand subjected to the process for replacing tissue fluids with wax. Then,the tissue sample and the cassette are sliced at the same time formounting on microscope slides. Because the tissue sample is neverremoved from the cassette from the time it is processed in the tissueprocessing machine to the time that it is cut with the microtome, asignificant amount of time is saved and the chance for human error issignificantly reduced due to the elimination of separate tissue handlingsteps. This patent also generally discusses an automated process whicheven further reduces the handling steps during the entire procedure.

In spite of the various improvements made in this field, there is anincreasing need for additional reductions in handling and improvementsin throughput production and consistent quality of embedded tissuesamples.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an automated machine forpreparing tissue samples in respective microtome sectionable supports.The machine includes an input member configured to hold a plurality ofthe microtome sectionable supports prior to a tissue embeddingoperation. An output member is configured to hold a plurality of themicrotome sectionable supports after the tissue embedding operation. Acooling unit is preferably configured to hold at least one of themicrotome sectionable supports during the tissue embedding operation.More preferably, multiple thermal electric cooling (TEC) units are usedfor faster production, however, other cooling devices may be utilizedwithout departing from the inventive principles. TECs are preferredbecause they can rapidly cycle between heating and cooling cycles. Inaccordance with the invention, initially cycling the TEC to heat themicrotome sectionable support greatly assists with properly embeddingthe support. A motorized carrier assembly is mounted for movement andconfigured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports.This carrier assembly moves the support from the input member to thecooling unit and, finally, to the output member. A dispensing devicedispenses an embedding material onto the microtome sectionable supportand at least one tissue sample carried by the microtome sectionablesupport during the embedding operation.

Preferably, the microtome sectionable support is received within a frameand is movable between a first position within the frame and a secondposition in which the embedded tissue sample is exposed for sectioningin a microtome. In this regard, the machine preferably also includes astaging device which operates to move the support from the firstposition to the second position. The staging device and the dispensermay be part of the same robot such that they move together between theplurality of cooling units. A sensor operates to detect an amount of theembedding material dispensed onto the microtome sectionable support.Another sensor detects the size and/or configuration of the cassette sothat it may be placed into the properly configured base mold on one ofthe cooling units. The input member preferably comprises an elongatebasket which is configured to hold and dispense a plurality of themicrotome sectionable supports. The basket may be held within a heatedreceptacle and can include a dispensing opening. A positioning deviceurges the microtome sectionable supports toward the dispensing opening,such as through spring pressure and/or weights.

In the preferred embodiment, two different configurations of microtomesectionable supports may be processed in the machine, although it willbe appreciated that the number of configurations processed by themachine can change. To this end, the machine further includes first andsecond molds thermally coupled with each cooling unit. The first mold isconfigured to receive a first microtome sectionable support and thesecond mold is configured to receive a second microtome sectionablesupport having a configuration different than the first microtomesectionable support. This different configuration, for example, may be adifferent size, a different shape, or any other characteristicdifference between the first and second microtome sectionable supports.A cassette detection sensor detects the respective configurations of thefirst and second microtome sectionable supports and, as a result, thecarrier assembly transports the microtome sectionable supports to thecorresponding first or second molds.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention willbecome more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art uponreview of the following detailed description taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automated machine constructed inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention for handlingand embedding tissue samples.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the inside of the machine.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear perspective view with the outer panels of themachine housing removed and also the control component housing portionremoved for clarity.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the input door section of themachine.

FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of the inside surface of theinput door showing the cassette and frame assembly dispenser.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of one of the input baskets showing onecassette and frame assembly as well as a retaining clip being insertedinto the basket.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the inside of the machine.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the staging robot in themachine.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the staging robot with the stager/fillerin exploded form.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken generally along line 8-8 of FIG.6.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view similar to FIG. 8, butillustrating the staging of a cassette through its associated frame andinto a base mold.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are enlarged cross sectional views similar to FIG. 9and also progressively illustrating the staging operation.

FIG. 11A is a cross sectional view taken along line 11A-11A of FIG. 12and showing the gripper assembly just prior to gripping a cassette andframe assembly.

FIG. 11B is a partially cross sectioned top view similar to FIG. 11A,but illustrating the cassette and frame assembly gripped by the gripperfingers.

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 5 andillustrating the gripper assembly in the process of removing a cassetteand frame assembly from an input basket.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the gripper assemblyplacing a cassette and frame assembly in a base mold associated with athermal electric cooling (TEC) unit.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a cassette andframe assembly being removed by the gripper assembly after the coolingoperation is complete.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of an output tray receiving cassetteand frame assemblies which have completed the embedding process withinthe machine.

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 15, but illustratingthe removal of the output tray from the machine.

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of a control system for the machineof FIG. 1.

FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of a thermal electric 3 statecontroller used in the control system of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a solenoid driver used in thecontrol system of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to continuously load frame and cassette assembliesfrom baskets into molds in the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to pickup a frame and cassette assembly from an inputbasket in the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to test a frame and cassette assembly picked up froman input basket in the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to load a frame and cassette assembly into a mold inthe machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to dispense paraffin into a mold in the machine ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to continuously load, fill and unload frame andcassette assemblies in the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to unload a frame and cassette assembly from a mold inthe machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to test a filled frame and cassette assembly, removedfrom a mold in the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to insert a filled frame and cassette assembly into anoutput tray in the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the controlsystem of FIG. 17 to continuously transfer filled frame and cassetteassemblies from the molds to the output trays in the machine of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring generally to FIGS. 1 and 2, an automated machine 10constructed in accordance with the invention includes a housing 12having a main door 14 on its front side. When open as shown in FIG. 1,main door 14 exposes an input door 16 and four separate output trays 18a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d which are removable for purposes to be describedbelow. Tray 18 c is shown partially pivoted outwardly along its loweredge and ready to be lifted out of the machine 10. Doors 14 and 16 alsopivot outwardly from their lower edges, however, doors 14 and 16 areattached to housing 12 by respective hinges 14 a, 16 a. The front sideof housing 12 includes openings 20 which allow relatively cool room airto be drawn into thermal electric cooling devices as described below.Housing 12 includes a control panel 22 for operating the machine 10, aparaffin input opening 24 on its top side, and caster wheels 26 on itslower side. A lower inside portion 27 of housing 12 includes the variouscontrol components necessary to operate machine 10 as will be describedbelow. As further shown in FIG. 2, paraffin input 24 leads to acontainer 28 for holding the liquid paraffin. Container 28 is heated tomaintain the liquid paraffin at the proper temperature of about 60° C.As generally shown in FIG. 2, input door 16 leads to a cassette andframe assembly dispenser 30 while output trays 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d(FIG. 1) include individual cassette and frame assembly receivers 32 a,32 b, 32 c, 32 d inside housing 12. Each receiver 32 a-d has twovertical rows of spring-biased slots, each slot retaining a singlecassette and frame assembly after the embedding operation is completeThe machine 10 is loaded with cassette and frame assemblies eachcontaining one or more tissue samples, in cassette and frame assemblydispenser 30. The cassette and frame assemblies or, more broadlyspeaking, the microtome sectionable supports, may take any suitableform. Preferably, these supports are generally of a form as described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,817,032, and further described below. The tissue samplesare embedded in paraffin using the components and methods to bedescribed below before being individually placed within the respectivecassette and frame assembly receivers 32 a, 32 b, 32 c, 32 d.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a pick and place robot 40 includes a pick andplace head 42 which is movable along three axes. Specifically, a base 44rides left and right on rails 46, 48 along a horizontal x-axis as viewedfrom the front of machine 10. Pick and place head 42 further rides onrails 56, 58 along a horizontal y-axis, that is, toward and away fromthe front of machine 10. A vertical support 50 carries pick and placehead 42 and rides up and down on rails 52, 54 along a vertical z-axis.To achieve these respective movements, three separate motor and drivescrew assemblies 60, 62 and 64 are provided. Motor 60 a and drive screw60 b move base 44 along rails 46, 48. Motor 62 a and drive screw 62 bmove pick and place head 42 vertically along rails 52, 54. Motor 64 aand drive screw 64 b move pick and place head 42 in opposite directionsalong rails 56, 58. Although belt driven screws are shown, it will beappreciated that direct drives or any other types of motive devices maybe used instead. For all of the various electrical wiring that isnecessary for the motors and control components, flexible conduits 66,68, 70 are provided to facilitate the various movements of the pick andplace robot 40.

Still referring to FIG. 3, pick and place robot 40 moves the cassetteand frame assemblies from dispenser 30 to respective base mold modulesor TEC units 80 and, more specifically, to one of two selectable basemolds 82, 84 located on top of each TEC unit 80. Several TEC units 80are removed for clarity. The use of TECs as integrated into units ormodules 80 is advantageous because TECs may be quickly cycled betweenheating and cooling functions. As described below, each TEC unit 80 maybe used to initially heat base mold 82 or base mold 84 such that liquidparaffin flows more completely into and throughout the cassettecontaining one or more tissue samples. This avoids air pockets in theparaffin after hardening which could lead to difficulties in subsequentsteps taken by the histotechnician or pathologist. The number and typeof cooling/heating units may be varied. Also, a greater or smallernumber of base molds 82, 84 may be used, for example, to accommodate arange of configurations and/or sizes of cassette and frame assemblies tobe processed in machine 10. The size and/or configuration of thecassette and frame assembly is detected with a suitable sensor 86 priorto transferring that cassette and frame assembly to a corresponding basemold 82 or 84. For example, a small biopsy cassette may have one or moreholes detected by sensor 86, while a large cassette may not have suchholes. Alternatively, machine readable indicia may be placed on thecassette and frame assemblies, such as a bar code, and then read by anappropriate device mounted in any suitable location. Thus, the cassetteand frame assemblies may be identified and tracked within the machine.Thus, the machine control can identify which base mold 82 or 84 to placethe cassette within.

Once the cooling process is complete (in a manner more fully describedbelow) the pick and place robot 40 moves the cassette and frame assemblyfrom a TEC unit 80 to respective slot receptacles 90 in one of thereceivers 32 a, 32 b, 32 c, 32 d. Sensors 92, 94 are provided on eachreceiver 32 a-d to indicate to the control system whether the associatedreceiver 32 a-d holds any cassette and frame assemblies. Latchassemblies 96 are provided to retain trays 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d withtheir respective cassette and frame assembly receivers 32 a-d on thefront of housing 12. Preferably, these latch assemblies 96 aresolenoid-operated to allow the control system of the machine 10 tomonitor whether or not any particular tray 18 a-d has been removed. Ifone has been removed, then machine 10 may stop operating or at leaststop delivering embedded cassette and frame assemblies to the locationof the removed tray.

Turning to FIGS. 4, 4A and 4B, a plurality of, for example, four inputbaskets 100 are provided to hold the cassette and frame assemblies andtheir respective tissue samples for dispensing purposes. Access by pickand place head 42 is provided by an opening 101 a in an interior cover101. Each basket 100 is retained in a heated receptacle 102 on theinside surface of door 16. Preferably, receptacles 102 each include oneor more cartridge style heaters 103 which maintain baskets 100 and thecassette and frame assemblies therein at an elevated temperaturedesigned to keep any remnant paraffin remaining from the previous tissueprocessing procedure in a liquified state until the start of the coolingprocess. That is, solidification of the paraffin is prevented so thatthe various components which need to move are able to without jamming.Suitable thermal insulation 105 may be provided between receptacles 102.Solidified or partially solidified paraffin on the baskets 100 and/orthe cassette and frame assemblies therein may also tend to cause jammingof baskets 100 in receptacles 102 or jamming of the cassette and frameassemblies in baskets 100. Baskets 100 are preferably transferred by theoperator, such as a histotechnician, directly into receptacles 102 froma tissue processing machine, however, this may instead be an automatedtransferring operation. Baskets 100 are perforated and constructed of amaterial suitably resistant to heat, chemicals, microwaves, or otherenvironmental conditions present during tissue processing. A suitablematerial is Ultem®, available from General Electric Co. Baskets 100 maybe accessed by opening door 16 via hinge mechanisms 16 a, 104 (FIG. 4)and then opening a spring-loaded hinged closure 106 at the top of abasket receptacle 102. Each basket receptacle 102 further includes alower, spring-loaded retaining member 110 which flips outwardly as acassette and frame assembly is withdrawn from basket 100 and is thenbiased to the vertical position shown to retain the next successivecassette and frame assembly in position to be grasped by the pick andplace head 42. A basket presence sensing assembly 112 is mounted to theinside surface of door 16 and is actuated when a basket 100 is fullyinserted downwardly into receptacle 102 to thereby indicate to thecontrol system that a basket 100 is present. Although such sensors maytake many forms, in this case an actuation member 114 (FIG. 4A) isreceived in a slot 116 of basket 100 and is thereby moved downwardlysuch that an attached element 118 moves vertically into and is sensed bya presence sensor 119.

As further shown in FIG. 4, a positioning assembly 120 is used to ensurethat all of the cassette and frame assemblies within each basket 100 areautomatically and continuously moved to their lowermost positions readyfor individual dispensing. Assembly 120 includes an upper plate 124 anda lower plate 126 coupled together by respective rods 128 a, 128 b. Rods128 a, 128 b carry respective fingers 130 for vertical movement whilepreventing pivotal motion. It will be appreciated that although two rods128 a, 128 b are shown coupled with each finger 130, other methods ofpreventing pivotal movement or otherwise ensuring the correctorientation of fingers 130 may be used instead. Fingers 130 are biasedin a downward direction by preloaded springs 132. In addition, oralternatively, fingers 130 may carry weights, such as one to two poundweights (not shown), so that a constant downward force is applied to thecassette and frame assemblies 150 in baskets 100. This ensures that eachsuccessive cassette and frame assembly is moved into position forgripping and extraction as described below. A movable plate 134 isoperated by a motor 136 and a screw 138 threaded into a nut 140. Plate134 is moved upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 4 to move each ofthe fingers 130 to an uppermost home position thereby allowing removalof one or more of the baskets 100 from receptacles 102. Nut 140, whichis rigidly attached to plate 134, carries a flange member 142 whichactuates presence sensors 144, 146 at the respective end-of-travelpositions to indicate to the control system when to stop motor 136 ineach direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 4B, a retainer clip 148 is used to retain a stackof cassette and frame assemblies 150 (containing tissue samples, notshown) within basket 100. For illustration purposes, only one cassetteand frame assembly 150 is shown. Assembly 150 includes an inner cassette150 a preferably constructed in accordance with the disclosure set forthin the above-incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,032 or in InternationalPatent Application Serial No. PCT/US02/30775, the disclosure of which isfully incorporated herein by reference, and an outer frame 150 b alsopreferably constructed in accordance with the referenced patent orpatent application. Typically, basket 100 will be filled with, forexample, 30-40 cassettes and frame assemblies 150, and retaining clip148 will be used at the top of the stack of assemblies 150 to preventany shifting of assemblies 150 within the basket 100 during handling.Basket 100 includes a pair of slots 152, 154 through which the lowermostcassette and frame assembly 150 is grasped by the pick and place head42. Basket 100 further includes a removable cover 156 for allowingaccess to its interior. Cover 156 includes a slot 156 a through which anextension 130 a of one of the previously described fingers 130 (FIG. 4)will be inserted to bear against the top of the stack of cassette andframe assemblies 150 ensuring that a cassette and frame assembly 150 isalways positioned adjacent slots 152, 154 for gripping purposes. Thelower end of cover 156 also includes recesses 158, 160 to allow accessby gripper fingers of the pick and place head 42 to be described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, a staging robot 170 is also mounted formovement within housing 12 and includes a stager/filler 172 movablealong three axes (u, v, w, see FIG. 6). Staging robot 170 is movableright and left (w-axis) via a motor 174 and drive screw 176 along rails178, 180. Stager/filler 172 is further movable up and down (v-axis)along a rail 182 via a motor 184 and drive screw 186 (FIG. 7). Stagingrobot 170 is movable in opposite directions front to back (u-axis) alongrails 188, 190 by a motor 192 and drive screw 194. Flexible conduits191, 193 contain the electrical wiring and paraffin tubing as necessaryduring operation of staging robot 170. Once the pick and place robot 40has placed a cassette and frame assembly 150 in one of the base molds 82or 84, the staging robot 170 is moved along rails 178, 180 and 188, 190to the correct position directly over the base mold 82 or 84 holding thecassette and frame assembly 150. Motor 184 and drive screw 186 are usedto then vertically position stager/filler 172 as will be describedbelow.

Referring to FIGS. 7-10A and 10B, stager/filler 172 more specificallyincludes a support assembly 195 which is rigidly fastened to four linearbushings or bearing blocks 188 a, 190 a riding along rails 188, 190.Support assembly 195 is also rigidly fastened to a mounting member 196which rides along screw 194 via a nut 197. Thus, motor 192 turns screw194 through nut 197 and thereby moves support assembly 195 along rails188, 190. A generally U-shaped support member 198 is a rigid part ofassembly 195. As previously discussed, another motor 184 provides themotive force for vertical movement of stager/filler 172. Motor 184includes a mounting portion 184 a rigidly coupled to a mounting portion195 a of support assembly 195 and a rotatable portion 184 b. A bearing199 is held within a mounting hole 198 b and supports screw 186 duringrotation. Rotatable portion 184 b of motor 184 is rigidly coupled toscrew 186 such that screw 186 may be rotated within U-shaped supportmember 198. Stager/filler 172 further includes a vertical support member202 carrying a nut 204 which engages screw 186. Vertical support member202 is thereby moved along rail 182 via linear bushings 182 a which arerigidly fastened to vertical support member 202. Rail 182 is rigidlyfastened to a portion 195 b of support assembly 195. Vertical supportmember 202 carries four fingers or pushers 203 which push cassette 150 athrough frame 150 b and within base mold 82 to the position shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. Heaters 205 are also coupled to pushers 203 to maintainthem at an elevated temperature (e.g., 60°-65° C.). Vertical movement ofpushers 203 is accomplished by activating motor 184 and screw 186 suchthat vertical support member 202 carried by nut 204 moves downwardlyalong rail 182 and, as a result, moves pushers 203 downwardly againstthe top corner portions of cassette 150 a. Simultaneously, verticalsupport member 202 moves four spring-loaded holding members 206 (onlytwo shown) downwardly against the top corner portions of frame 150 b toimmobilize the frame 150 b during the staging and paraffin fillingprocess (FIG. 10A). After the staging process is complete, the bottom ofthe cassette 150 a is exposed outwardly of the frame 150 b and withinthe interior of the base mold 84.

At this point, as shown in FIG. 10B, the fingers or pushers 203 arewithdrawn upwardly by motor 184 to a position at which they will notcontact any paraffin 205 while the spring-loaded holding members 206still retain frame 150 b against base mold 84 with some spring pressure.Liquid paraffin 205 is then dispensed into base mold 84 and throughoutthe cassette 150 a to thereby embed the tissue sample 210. To this end,a dispensing tube 212 receives the paraffin from a suitable valve 214and tubing 216 (FIG. 9) which is coupled to container 28 (FIGS. 2 and3). As with all components which will be in close thermal contact withthe paraffin, these components are preferably maintained at an elevatedtemperature of about 60°-65° C. Dispensing tube 212 is preferably heatedby a cartridge heater 220 controlled by an RTD and thermal fuse assembly224. Tubing 216 may be similarly heated, if necessary. The paraffin ispreferably dispensed by gravity, although a pump may be used ifnecessary. Limit switches 230, 232 (FIG. 9) monitor the position of thevertical support member 202 at upper and lower limits. The intermediateposition used during the filling procedure to raise pushers 203 abovethe paraffin level may be controlled by simply rotating the screw 186 apredetermined amount. An ultrasonic level sensor 234 (Model No. ML102obtained from Cosense, Inc. of Hauppauge, Long Island, N.Y.) is mountedto the stager/filler 172 to sense when the level of liquid paraffin iscorrect, that is, preferably near the top of frame member 150 b. At thispoint, the valve 214 is closed to stop dispensing paraffin from thedispensing tube 212. Level sensing is preferred because various amountsof paraffin will need to be added to each base mold depending on theamount of tissue in each cassette 150 a. Thus, level sensing assuresthat there is no overflow or underfill of paraffin in the base mold 82or 84.

After the filling operation is complete, the TEC unit 80 is activated tocool and solidify the liquid paraffin within the base mold 84 into ahardened block. This may take, for example, from one to three minutes.Since TECs are reversible between heating and cooling operations due totheir use of a peltier-type of device, the TEC unit 80 may initially beused to heat the base mold 84 to allow better flow of liquid paraffinthrough the perforations of the cassette 150 a. Better flow is achievedas a result of the lowered viscosity of the paraffin in the heatedcondition. This helps prevent air entrapment and assures that apreferred solid block of hardened paraffin is ultimately formed. Asshown best in FIG. 8, each TEC unit 80 is constructed with two TECswhich comprise conventional ceramic/metal plate assemblies and operateas peltier devices to provide surface cooling (or heating) throughconduction with the bottoms of base molds 82, 84. Each TEC unit 80includes an air flow passage 238 below TECs 236 with inlet and outletfans 240, 242 for drawing air in through the openings 20 in the front ofmachine housing 12 (FIG. 1) and exhausting the air through a suitableexhaust conduit 244 leading to a lower portion of housing 12. Thisallows for heat to be appropriately transferred away from units 80during the cooling cycle.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate the specific gripping mechanism 250 usedfor grasping cassette and frame assemblies 150 on pick and place head42. Specifically, a pair of opposed gripper fingers 252, 254 includerespective projections 252 a, 252 b and 254 a, 254 b which register withindentations 256 (FIG. 14) in each frame 150 b. An over-center typemechanism is used, operated by a solenoid 260, for moving fingers 252,254 between an open or release position shown in FIG. 11A and a closedor gripping position shown in FIG. 11B. Linkages 262, 264 move betweenthe position shown in FIG. 11A to the pivoted, over-center positionshown in FIG. 11B. An actuating member 266 is connected to areciprocating output 268 of solenoid 260 and pivotally connected torespective pivot points 270, 272 on each linkage 262, 264. Each linkage262, 264 is further pivotally coupled to the gripper fingers 252, 254 atpoints 274, 276 such that reciprocating motion of actuating member 266pivots the linkages 262, 264 and, at the same time, moves the grippingfingers 252, 254 inwardly or outwardly depending on whether the solenoidoutput 268 is moved outwardly or inwardly with respect to the solenoid260. It will be appreciated that many other types of gripping devicesmay be used as alternatives to this type of device. In the preferredembodiment, an infrared presence sensor 280 is also carried on thegripping mechanism 250 to indicate whether a cassette and frame assembly150 is present in the basket 100. If the presence sensor 280 does notdetect a cassette and frame assembly 150, then the control system candirect the pick and place robot 40 to move the pick and place head 42,together with the gripper mechanism 250, to the next basket 100.

The operation of machine 10 will now be described in connection with thepreviously described figures, as well as FIGS. 12-16. As shown in FIG.4, receptacles 102 are loaded with respect with input baskets 100 eachcontaining a number of cassette and frame assemblies 150. These inputbaskets 100 preferably are taken directly from a tissue processingmachine (not shown) in which the tissue samples 210 (FIG. 10) containedin each cassette 150 a have been processed in a known manner to replacethe fluid in the tissue samples 210 with paraffin or another suitablematerial. In order to load the baskets 100 into the receptacles 102, thecassette positioning device 120 must be raised to its uppermost positionallowing the input door 16 to be opened. When the input door 16 is thenclosed, the positioning device 120 lowers plate 134 thereby allowingfingers 130, 130 a to lower under the force generated by springs 132and/or weights (not shown). As shown in FIG. 12, pick and place robot 40is moved such that pick and place head 42 and, more specifically,gripper fingers 252, 254 enter opening 101 a and the dispensing slots152, 154 of one of the baskets 100 (FIGS. 4, 4B). The gripper fingers252, 254 grasp the lowermost cassette and frame assembly 150. Pick andplace robot 40 then carries the gripped cassette and frame assembly 150to sensor 86 (FIG. 3). Based on the reading from cassette sensor 86, thecassette and frame assembly 150 is carried to one of the base molds 82or 84 which is empty and also corresponds to the configuration (e.g.,size and/or shape) of the detected cassette and frame assembly 150. Thepick and place head 42 drops the cassette and frame assembly 150 intothe selected base mold 82 or 84 and then the pick and place robot 40moves back to the input basket 100 to repeat the process during theinitial start up. During normal operation, pick and place robot 40 willmove to a cooled/hardened assembly 150 to one of the output slots 90(FIG. 15), and then return to the input basket 100.

The staging robot 170 is then moved into position over the cassette andframe assembly 150 just loaded into the corresponding base mold 82, asshown in FIG. 6. As shown and described above in connection with FIGS.8-10, the cassette 150 a is staged (i.e., moved) into the base mold 82and the base mold 82 is filled with liquid paraffin from dispensing tube212. When the dispensing operation is complete, as detected by sensor234, the staging robot 170 moves to the next position above another basemold 82 or 84 of a TEC unit 80 at which the pick and place robot 40 hasloaded another cassette and frame assembly 150. The staging and fillingoperation is then repeated on the next successive cassette and frameassembly 150. As shown in FIG. 14, the pick and place head 42 is movedto the position of an embedded cassette and frame assembly 150 which hascompleted the cooling or hardening process on a TEC unit 80 and thecassette and frame assembly 150 is gripped using gripper fingers 252,254. Pick and place robot 40 then moves the pick and place head 42 withthe gripped cassette and frame assembly 150, now including a hardenedblock 290 of paraffin containing tissue sample 210, to one of the outputtrays 18 a having slots 90 as shown in FIG. 15. The embedded cassetteand frame assembly 150 is held within slot 90 by a spring loaded clipmember 300 which frictionally engages the embedded cassette and frameassembly 150. At this point, the gripper fingers 252, 254 release thecassette and frame assembly 150. As shown in FIG. 16, output tray 18 amay be removed by actuating solenoid 96, pivoting tray 18 a outwardly,and lifting the tray 18 a from the machine 11.

The operation of the machine 10 is controlled by a system control 350illustrated in FIG. 17. The system control 350 includes a control 352that is connected to a user I/O 354, for example, a touch screenmonitor. The control 352 is also, optionally, connected to an ethernet356 to provide communication between the control 352 and anothercomputer (not shown). The control 352 receives inputs from varioussensors on the machine 10, for example, an ultrasonic receiver 358 that,in turn, receives inputs from the paraffin fill sensor 234 and reservoirlevel sensor 359. Other control inputs are connected to a digital I/Ointerface 360 that, in turn, is connected to various sensors, forexample, the frame/cassette sensor 86, receiver sensors 92, 94, theframe present sensor 280 and the basket present sensor 112.

The control 352 provides command signals to stepper motor controllers362 that, in turn, provide comparable command signals to the steppingmotors 60 a, 62 a, 64 a, and 192, 174, 184 and 136 in a known manner.The controllers 362 receive feedback signals from limit switches, forexample, limit switches 230, 232 detecting the limits of travel alongthe v-axis. In addition, encoders 364 are coupled to respective steppermotors and provide respective feedback signals to respective steppermotor controllers 362, so that the commanded motion of each of thestepper motors can be confirmed. If a stepper motor controller 362 failsto detect a commanded motion of a respective stepper motor, thecontroller provides an error signal back to the control 352 for displayon the monitor 354.

The control 352 is further connected to a thermal electric 3-statecontroller 366 that controls the operation of each of the 16 TEC plates236 associated with each of the 8 pairs of base molds 82, 84. Each TECplate 236 has a corresponding RTD 368 that provides a temperaturefeedback signal to the controller 366 representing the temperature ofits respective TEC plate 236. Referring to FIG. 18, the thermal electric3-state controller 366 has a microcontroller 370 driven by a clock 372.It should be noted that although the machine has only 16 TEC plates 236,the controller 366 is built to accommodate 24 TEC plates 236. Themicrocontroller 370 includes software modules providing a systeminterface 374, a TEC loop state machine 376, a calibration algorithm 378and an A/D converter and signal processor 380. The controller 370controls all 16 TEC plates 236 and can be configured to control fewer ormore TEC plates 236. In order to accommodate such a large number ofdevices, that is, 24 TEC plates 236 and 24 RTDs 368, a complexprogrammable logic device (“CPLD”) 388 is used as an interface devicebetween the microcontroller 370 and the TEC plates 236 and RTDs 368. Aloop clock 382 provides successive time windows that are adjustable bythe loop clock state machine 393 of the CPLD 388. During each timewindow, in response to a command from the microcontroller 370, the A/Dconverter state machine 389 within the CPLD 388 causes outputs from allof the RTDs to be multiplexed into the A/D converter 384. During eachtime window, RTD outputs are read by the microcontroller 370 as part ofthe microcontroller 370 regulating the operation of each of the TECplates 236 in response to commands from the control 352 (FIG. 17). Ifthe operating state of any of the TEC plates 236 is to be changed, astate of a MOSFET current switch 395 within the TEC interface 392 mustbe changed; and that new state is transferred to the MOSFET controlstate machine 391 of the CPLD 388. That new state is then supplied via arespective driver 390 to a respective current switch 395. Thus, themeasured temperatures provided by respective RTDs 368 are maintained inclose correspondence to the temperatures commanded by the control 352(FIG. 17).

Referring back to FIG. 17, the control 352 provides command signals to asolenoid driver 394 that is operatively connected to the grippersolenoid 260, paraffin valve 214 and each of the four tray latchsolenoids 97. Referring to FIG. 19, the solenoid driver has a clock 397for a microcontroller 398 that includes software modules providing asystem interface 400, a gripper control 402, pulse width modulators 404,406 and an I/O control 408. The I/O control 408 provides output signalsto the I/O interface 410 to drive solenoid status LEDs 412. In order tominimize heat within the machine 10, the solenoid driver 394 is designedto provide the minimum current necessary to operate the varioussolenoids on the machine 10. For example, the gripper control 402operates the gripper solenoid 260 by first providing an actuationcurrent to a driver 414 that, in turn, provides an output current to thesolenoid 260 via amplifier 415. That actuation current is effective torapidly actuate and change the state of the solenoid 260 and the gripper250; and thereafter, the gripper control 402 provides a hold current toa driver 416 that, in turn, provides the minimum current necessary tohold the solenoid 260 in its current state.

A signal requesting one of the four tray latches be opened can beprovided by input devices 417, for example, a push button on the machineor a button on the touchscreen of the user I/O 354 (FIG. 17). Inresponse to that request, microcontroller 398 operates the pulse widthmodulator (“PWM”) 404 to provide output signals to a PWM selectionswitch 418 that, in turn, provides actuation and hold currents via anamplifier 422 to an appropriate one of the MOSFET current switches 423.That MOSFET current switch 423 operates a respective one of the fourtray latch solenoids 97, thereby releasing a latch or interlock so thata tray can be pivoted outward and removed. Similarly, in response to acommand from the control 352, the microcontroller 398 operates the PWM406 to provide actuation and hold currents signals to a valve solenoid215 via two-way PWM switch selection 420, amplifier 424 and MOSFETcurrent switches 425.

Referring back to FIG. 17, a heater controller 426 is responsive tocommands from the control 352 to control the heaters 220 associated withthe reservoir 28, valve 214, nozzle 212, feed tube 216 and the eightreceptacles 102 on the input door 16. The heater controller 426 isoperative to turn the heaters 220 on and off in order to maintain thetemperature commanded by the control 352. The heaters are both resistiveAC and DC heaters, and RTDs 124 are located close to respective ones ofthe heaters 220 to provide temperature feedback signals representing thetemperatures of the respective devices being heated. In order for aheater control microcontroller to control such a large number of heatersand RTDs, a loop state machine and CPLD can be used in a manner similarto that described with respect to the TEC controller of FIG. 18. Zerocrossing TRIAC current switches can be used in a known manner to controlthe operation of the DC and AC heaters, respectively.

In use, in order to load the baskets 100 into the receptacles 102, anoperator uses the touchscreen monitor 354 to command the cassettepositioning device 120 to raise to its uppermost position, therebyallowing the input door 16 to be opened. After the baskets 100 have beenplaced within the machine 10, the input door 16 is then closed. Theoperator again utilizes the touchscreen monitor to command thepositioning device 120 to lower plate 134, thereby allowing fingers 130,130 a to lower under the force generated by springs 132 and/or weights(not shown). As will be appreciated, the process of moving the cassettepositioning device 120 and opening and closing the input door 16 can befully automated. In addition, the operator loads output trays 18 intothe machine 10.

The processing of frames and cassette assemblies 150 is conducted inthree operating modes. In a first load molds mode, frame and cassetteassemblies are successively transferred from baskets 100 to one of themolds 82, 84 (FIG. 3) of each of the eight pairs of molds; and thefilling and cooling cycles are initiated. After the eight molds 82 or 84have been loaded, filled and are cooling, the control 352 initiates acontinuous processing mode, in which cooled frame and mold assemblies150 are successively moved from the molds 82 or 84 to output trays 18.The emptied molds are immediately reloaded with another frame andcassette assembly 150 from a basket 100, and the continuous modecontinues until all of the assemblies 150 have been unloaded from abasket 100. Thereafter, the control 352 initiates an unload molds modein which the remaining cooled frame and cassette assemblies are movedfrom the molds 82, 84 to the trays 18.

To initiate processing, the operator again utilizes the touchscreenmonitor 354 to command a cycle start. In response to that command, thecontrol 352 executes a load molds cycle as shown in FIG. 20. The control352 first, at 450, determines whether transport robot 40 and stagingrobot 170 are at their home positions by monitoring the states of limitswitches 364. The home position of the transport robot 40 is defined atthe x-axis travel limit closest to the first mold to be filled, theupper z-axis limit and the forward, relative to the machine 10, y-axislimit. The home position of the staging robot 170 is defined at thex-axis travel limit closest to the last mold to be filled, the upperz-axis limit and the forward, relative to the machine 10, y-axis limit.If either of the robots is not at its home position, the control 352provides, at 452, command signals to the stepper motor controllers 362to operate the stepping motors and move the robots to their homeposition. After determining, at 454, that a pause timer is notoperating, the control 352 commands the controllers 362 to move, at 456,the gripper 250 to a position outside but immediately adjacent to anopening 101 (FIG. 4) adjacent a basket 100. Thereafter, the control 352executes, at 458, an input basket pickup subroutine illustrated in moredetail in FIG. 21.

In executing this subroutine, the control 352 first, at 602, commandsthe solenoid driver 394 to actuate the gripper solenoid 260 and open thegripper fingers 252 (FIG. 11A). Thereafter, the control 352 commands, at604, the appropriate controller 362 to operate the stepper motor 64 aand move the gripper fingers 252 through the opening 101 a (FIG. 12) andinto the basket 100. The control 352 then commands, at 606, the gripperfingers 252 to close (FIG. 11B); and, at 608, the stepping motor 64 a toreverse its motion and return the gripper fingers 252 to their originalposition immediately adjacent the opening 101 a. Thereafter, the control352 reads, at 610, the state of the frame sensor 280 located on thegripper 250. The operation of the load molds cycle of FIG. 20 continuesby the control 352 determining, at 460, whether a frame 150 b is presentin the gripper 250.

If so, the control 352 commands, at 462, the stepping motors to move thegripper 250 to the cassette sensor 86 (FIG. 3). At 464, the control 352executes a load cassette test subroutine illustrated in more detail inFIG. 22. Several tests are performed utilizing the sensor 86 todetermine, at 620, that a frame and cassette assembly 150 is properlyoriented in the gripper 250. For example, it is possible that theassembly 150 may have inadvertently been loaded upside down orinadvertently rotated front to back. Next, the control determines, at622, that a cassette 150 a (FIG. 4B) is located in the frame 150 b. Thesensor 280 on the gripper 250 is only capable of detecting the presenceof a frame portion 150 b of the frame and cassette assembly 150; andtherefore, it is important to determine that the frame 150 b doessupport a cassette 150 a. Further, the machine 10 is capable ofprocessing cassettes of two different sizes; and therefore, at 624, thecontrol 352 manipulates the gripper 250 such that the sensor 86 can beused to detect which size cassette is currently in the gripper. When asize is detected, an appropriate flag is set at 626, 628. If an error isdetected in any of the tests, the control 352 provides, at 630, adisplay of the error on the monitor 354; and it ends its cycle ofoperation until the error has been corrected.

Returning to the load molds cycle of FIG. 20, after the load cassettetests have been successfully completed, the control 352, at 466,commands the gripper 250 to be moved to a vertical clearance positionabove one of the mold pairs that is empty and corresponds to thecassette size that was detected, for example, a first one of the molds82 (FIG. 3). In addition, the control 352 commands the staging robot 170to move from its home position to the right to a position immediatelyadjacent the mold 82. Further, the control 352 provides an output signalcommanding the thermal electric controller 366 to turn on the TEC plate236 associated with the mold 82. The thermal electric controller 366utilizes the temperature feedback signal from the RTD 368 to operate theTEC plate 236 such that the mold 82 is heated to a desired temperature.

After the transport robot 40 has moved the gripper to the verticalclearance position, the control 352 executes, at 468, a load frame inmold subroutine illustrated in more detail in FIG. 23. First, thecontrol 352 commands, at 632, the stepping motor 62 a to lower thegripper 250 such that the frame and cassette assembly 150 is on orslightly above the mold 82 a (FIG. 13). Thereafter, the control 352commands, at 634, the gripper fingers 252 to open (FIG. 11A); and then,at 636, the control 352 reverses the operation of the stepping motor 62a to raise the gripper 250 to its vertical clearance position. Thecontrol then, at 638, reads the frame sensor 280 to confirm that a frame150 b is no longer present in the gripper 250. If a frame is detected,the control 352 displays an appropriate error signal, at 640, and ceasesoperation.

Next, the control 352 commands the stepper motor 174 to move the stagingrobot 170 over the mold. Thereafter, the control, at 472, starts aninternal pause timer and then initiates, at 474, a mold fill cyclesubroutine as shown in more detail in FIG. 24. In executing the moldfill cycle, the control 352 first commands, at 650, the stepper motor184 to lower the stager/filler 172 (FIG. 8). The vertical support member202 moves the four spring biased holding members 206 downwardly againstthe top corners of the frame 150 b to immobilize the frame during theparaffin filling process. Simultaneously, the pushers 203 (FIG. 9) aremoved downward against the top corner portions of the cassette 150 a,thereby firmly pushing the cassette and frame assembly 150 firmly intothe mold 84. The control 352 then commands, at 652, the motor 184 toraise the stager/filler 172 to a position at which the pushers 203 willnot contact any paraffin during the filling process. It should be notedthat the holding members 206 still retain the frame 150 b against themold with spring pressure. Thereafter, at 654, the control 352 providesan output signal to the solenoid driver 394 commanding the paraffinvalve 214 to open and the mold to begin filling with paraffin (FIG. 10).In addition, the control 352 initiates the operation of an internalcool-on timer. It has been determined through experimentation that ahigher quality process is achieved if the cooling of the mold isinitiated slightly prior to the end of the mold filling cycle. However,the exact time that the TEC should be switched to a cool mode isapplication dependent. Therefore, after the control 352 determines, at656, that the cool-on timer has expired; the control 352 switches, at658, the operation of the respective TEC plate 236 from the heat mode toa cool mode and in addition, initiates the operation of an internalcool-off timer. The control 352 then determines, at 660, when itreceives a signal from the paraffin fill sensor 234 indicating that themold 84 is filled. At that point, the control 352 then provides, at 662,output signals to the solenoid driver 394 commanding the fill valve toclose. In addition, the control 352 commands the stepper motor 184 toraise the stager/filler 172 to its uppermost position.

Returning to FIG. 20, upon initiating the mold fill cycle subroutine476, the control 352 also determines whether the current mold beingfilled is the last mold to be filled. If not, the control thendetermines, at 454, whether the pause timer has expired. The pause timersimply causes the operation of the transport robot 40 to pause for ashort period of time. If it has, the control then commands the steppermotors 60 a, 62 a, 64 a to move the gripper to a position adjacent theopening of the basket. The process described with respect to steps454-476 is repeated for each of the eight mold positions. When the lastmold is being filled as detected at 476 by the control 352, the controlthen commands, at 478, the motor 60 a to move the gripper 250 to thevertical clearance position over the first mold; and thereafter, theload molds cycle of FIG. 20 ends. It should be noted that, if at 460,the control 352 determines that a frame 150 b is not present in thegripper 250, it then checks, at 480, whether the current basket isempty. The control 352 maintains a count of the frame and cassetteassemblies 150 removed from the current basket. If a number of frame andcassette assemblies have been removed from the current basket equal toits maximum capacity, then the control, at 482, determines whether allbaskets are empty. If not, the control commands the gripper then to moveto the opening of the adjacent basket on the input door 16.

After all the molds are initially filled with frame and cassetteassemblies and fill cycles are initiated, the control 352 switches to acontinuous run mode as illustrated in FIG. 25. The first step of thatmode is to confirm, at 500, that the load molds mode is complete. Itshould be remembered that the transport robot 40 is currently positionedat the vertical clearance height above the first mold. The control 352then determines, at 502, whether the cool-off timer for that mold hasexpired. When it does, the control then, at 504, executes an unloadframe from mold subroutine illustrated in FIG. 26.

To unload a frame and cassette assembly from the mold 84, as shown inFIG. 14, the control 352 provides output signals at steps 670-676 tocommand the gripper fingers 252 to open, the stepper motor 64 a to lowerthe gripper to the mold, the gripper fingers 252 to close and thestepper motor 62 a to raise the gripper back to its vertical clearanceposition. Thereafter, the control 352 reads the state of the framesensor 280 to determine whether a frame is present. If not, the controldisplays an error, at 680, and the cycle ends.

Referring back to FIG. 25, the control thereafter provides, at 506,command signals to the stepper motors 60 a, 62 a, 64 a to move thegripper to the sensor 86 (FIG. 3). When in that position, the control352 initiates, at 508, an unload cassette test subroutine shown in moredetail in FIG. 27. First, the control 352 commands the stepper motors 60a, 62 a, 64 a to move the gripper 250 with respect to the sensor 86 suchthat by monitoring output signals from the sensor 86, the control 352can determine, at 682, that a frame 150 b is present. Thereafter, thecontrol commands the gripper 250 to be moved to positions permitting thecontrol 352 to determine, at 684, whether a cassette 150 a is present inthe frame. It is possible that in the filling and cooling process or inthe unloading process, that the cassette became separated from theframe. It is also possible that the frame is not being properly held inthe gripper. For example, referring to FIG. 11A, the frame 150 b may beheld by only the forward pins 252 a, 254 a of the gripper. In thatscenario, the frame is slightly rotated such that the rearward pins 252b, 254 b are not properly secured in the frame. To detect thissituation, the control 352 commands the gripper 250 to be moved topositions permitting, at 686, the control to determine that the frame isproperly secured in the gripper. If any error is detected, the controlprovides, at 688, an error display on the monitor 354 and the cycleends.

If the unload cassette test subroutine is successfully executed,returning to FIG. 25, the control 352 commands motors 60 a, 62 a, 64 ato move the gripper with the cassette and frame assembly 150, nowincluding a hardened block 290 of paraffin containing tissue sample 210,adjacent one of the slots 90 of one of the output trays 18 a as shown inFIG. 15. Thereafter, the control 352 initiates a frame releasesubroutine illustrated in more detail in FIG. 28. To release the frameand cassette assembly 150, the control 352 first, at 690, commands thestepper motor 62 a to move the gripper fingers 25 into the tray slot 90.The embedded cassette and frame assembly 150 is held within slot 90 by aspring loaded clip member 300 which frictionally engages the embeddedcassette and frame assembly 150. Thereafter, at 692, the controlcommands the gripper fingers 252 to open and further commands thestepper motor 62 a, at 694, to reverse motion, thereby removing thegripper fingers from the tray slot. Next, the control 352 reads thestate of the frame sensor 280 to determine, at 696, whether a frame ispresent. If a frame is detected, the control 352 provides an errordisplay to the monitor 354.

Returning to FIG. 25, the control then, at 514, provides command signalsto the stepper motors 60 a, 62 a, 64 a to move the gripper to a basketopening. The transport robot 40 then proceeds in response to commandsfrom the control 352 to load another frame and cassette assembly fromthe input basket in accordance with steps 514-532. That loadingoperation is identical to the loading operation previously describedwith respect to steps 456 through 470 of FIG. 20. After loading anotherframe and cassette assembly 150 into the first mold, the control then,at 534, initiates a mold fill cycle as previously described with respectto FIG. 24. Simultaneously with initiating the mold fill cycle, thecontrol 352 provides, at 536, a command signal to the stepper motor 60 ato move the gripper over the next mold to be emptied. The controllerthen, at 502, determines whether the cool-off timer for that mold hasexpired. The process of steps 502-536 continues until the control 352determines, at 522, that all the input baskets are empty. At that point,the continuous run mode ends and the control 352 switches to the clearmolds cycle illustrated in FIG. 29.

After confirming, at 540, that the continuous run mode is complete, thecontrol 352 commands, at 542, the stepper motors 174, 184 and 192 tomove the staging robot to its home position. Thereafter, the control 352determines, at 544, whether the cool-off timer for the current mold hasexpired. If so, the control 352 unloads a frame from that mold inaccordance with process steps 546-554 that are identical to the processsteps 504-512 previously described with respect to FIG. 25. That processiterates until the control 352 detects, at 556, that all molds areempty. At this point, the output trays can be removed from the machine10. As shown in FIG. 16, output tray 18 a may be removed by actuatingsolenoid 96, pivoting tray 18 a outwardly, and lifting the tray 18 afrom the machine 10.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of apreferred embodiment and while the embodiment has been described in somedetail, it is not the intention of Applicants to restrict or in any waylimit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additionaladvantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in theart. The various features of the invention may be used alone or innumerous combinations depending on the needs and preferences of theuser. For example, in the described embodiment, eight pairs of molds areused in order to accommodate cassettes of two different cassette sizes.As will be appreciated, in other embodiments, three different cassettesizes can be accommodated by providing 24 molds in a matrix of threemolds in each of the eight rows of molds.

In the described embodiment, the sensor 86 is used to test the frame andcassette assemblies after being picked up from a basket and after beingremoved from a mold. As will be appreciated, another sensor can beplaced in another location to test the frame and cassette assembliesafter being removed from the mold. Such a different sensor may bedesirable to improve the cycle time of the machine 10. As will befurther appreciated, different types of sensors may change the processof checking the frame and cassette assemblies.

This has been a description of the present invention, along with thepreferred methods of practicing the present invention as currentlyknown. However, the invention itself should only be defined by theappended claims.

1. An automated machine for embedding tissue samples on respectivemicrotome sectionable supports, comprising: an input member configuredto hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports prior to atissue embedding operation; an output member configured to hold aplurality of the microtome sectionable supports after the tissueembedding operation; a plurality of cooling units each configured tohold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports during thetissue embedding operation; a motorized carrier assembly mounted formovement and configured to hold at least one of the microtomesectionable supports and move the one support from said input member toone of said cooling units to said output member; and a dispenseroperating to dispense an embedding material respectively onto themicrotome sectionable supports and at least one tissue sample carried byeach of the microtome sectionable supports during the embeddingoperation.
 2. The automated machine of claim 1, wherein each of saidcooling units include at least one TEC.
 3. The automated machine ofclaim 1, wherein the microtome sectionable support is received within aframe and is movable between a first position within the frame and asecond position in which the embedded tissue sample is exposed forsectioning in a microtome, and the automated machine further comprises:a staging device operative to move the support from the first positionto the second position.
 4. The automated machine of claim 3, whereinsaid staging device and said dispenser are movable together between theplurality of cooling units.
 5. The automated machine of claim 1, furthercomprising: a sensor operative to detect an amount of the embeddingmaterial dispensed onto the microtome sectionable support by saiddispenser.
 6. The automated machine of claim 2, further comprising:respective molds thermally coupled to each TEC, said molds configured tohold the microtome sectionable supports and the embedding materialdispensed by said dispenser.
 7. The automated machine of claim 1,wherein the input member comprises an elongate basket configured to holdand dispense a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports.
 8. Theautomated machine of claim 7, wherein said elongate basket includes adispensing opening and the machine further comprises: a positioningdevice configured to urge the microtome sectionable supports toward saiddispensing opening.
 9. The automated machine of claim 1, furthercomprising a heater thermally coupled to said input member for heatingthe microtome sectionable supports.
 10. The automated machine of claim1, wherein at least two different configurations of microtomesectionable supports may be handled and embedded in the machine and themachine further comprises: a first mold and a second mold thermallycoupled with each cooling unit, said first mold being configured toreceive a first microtome sectionable support and said second mold beingconfigured to receive a second microtome sectionable support having aconfiguration different than the first microtome sectionable support;and a sensor operative to detect the respective configurations of thefirst and second microtome sectionable support; wherein said carrierassembly transports one of the microtome sectionable supports to eithersaid first mold or said second mold depending on the configuration ofthe microtome sectionable support detected by said sensor.
 11. Theautomated machine of claim 1, wherein the embedding material comprisesparaffin, and the machine further comprises: a reservoir coupled influid communication with said dispenser and configured to hold and heatthe paraffin in a liquified form.
 12. The automated machine of claim 1,wherein said carrier further comprises a pair of fingers configured togrip opposite sides of one of the microtome sectionable supports. 13.The automated machine of claim 1, further comprising: a cabinetstructure having an interior containing said cooling units, saidmotorized carrier assembly and said dispenser, wherein said input memberand said output member may be opened from outside said cabinet structureto allow the microtome sectionable supports to be loaded into the inputmember and, after embedding of the tissue samples, unloaded from theoutput member.
 14. The automated machine of claim 13, wherein the inputmember comprises a hinged door.
 15. An automated machine for embeddingtissue samples on respective microtome sectionable supports, comprising:a perforate input member configured to hold a plurality of the microtomesectionable supports prior to a tissue embedding operation, saidperforate input member further constructed for receipt in a tissueprocessing machine and capable of resisting degradation from proceduresused to fix and process the tissue in the tissue processing machine; anoutput member configured to hold a plurality of the microtomesectionable supports after the tissue embedding operation; a coolingunit configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionablesupports during the tissue embedding operation; a motorized carrierassembly mounted for movement and configured to hold at least one of themicrotome sectionable supports and move the one support from said inputmember to said cooling unit to said output member; and a dispenseroperating to dispense an embedding material respectively onto themicrotome sectionable supports and at least one tissue sample carried byeach of the microtome sectionable supports during the embeddingoperation.
 16. The automated machine of claim 15, wherein said coolingunits include a TEC.
 17. The automated machine of claim 15, wherein themicrotome sectionable support is received within a frame and is movablebetween a first position within the frame and a second position in whichthe tissue sample is exposed for sectioning in a microtome, and theautomated machine further comprises: a staging device operative to movethe support from the first position to the second position.
 18. Theautomated machine of claim 17, wherein said staging device includes saiddispenser.
 19. The automated machine of claim 15, further comprising: asensor operative to detect an amount of the embedding material dispensedonto the microtome sectionable support by said dispenser.
 20. Theautomated machine of claim 15, wherein the cooling unit includes a moldconfigured to hold the microtome sectionable support and the embeddingmaterial dispensed by said dispenser.
 21. The automated machine of claim15, wherein the input member comprises an elongate basket configured tohold and dispense a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports. 22.The automated machine of claim 21, wherein said elongate basket includesa dispensing opening and the machine further comprises: a positioningdevice configured to urge the microtome sectionable supports toward saiddispensing opening.
 23. The automated machine of claim 15, furthercomprising a heater thermally coupled to said input member for heatingthe microtome sectionable supports.
 24. The automated machine of claim15, wherein at least two different configurations of microtomesectionable supports may be handled and embedded in the machine and themachine further comprises: a first mold and a second mold thermallycoupled with said cooling unit, said first mold being configured toreceive a first microtome sectionable support and said second mold beingconfigured to receive a second microtome sectionable support having aconfiguration different than the first microtome sectionable support;and a sensor operative to detect the respective configurations of thefirst and second microtome sectionable supports; wherein said carrierassembly transports one of the microtome sectionable supports to eithersaid first mold or said second mold depending on the configuration ofthe microtome sectionable support detected by said sensor.
 25. Theautomated machine of claim 15, wherein the embedding material comprisesparaffin, and the machine further comprises: a reservoir coupled influid communication with said dispenser and configured to hold and heatthe paraffin in a liquified form.
 26. The automated machine of claim 15,wherein said carrier further comprises a pair of fingers configured togrip opposite sides of one of the microtome sectionable supports. 27.The automated machine of claim 15, further comprising: a cabinetstructure having an interior containing said cooling unit, saidmotorized carrier assembly and said dispenser, wherein said input memberand said output member may be opened from outside said cabinet structureto allow the microtome sectionable supports to be loaded into the inputmember and, after embedding of the tissue samples, unloaded from theoutput member.
 28. The automated machine of claim 27, wherein the inputmember comprises a hinged door.
 29. An automated machine for embeddingtissue samples on respective microtome sectionable supports, whereineach microtome sectionable support is received within a frame and ismovable between a first position within the frame and a second positionin which the tissue sample is exposed for sectioning in a microtome, theautomated machine comprising: an input member configured to hold aplurality of the microtome sectionable supports prior to a tissueembedding operation; an output member configured to hold a plurality ofthe microtome sectionable supports after the tissue embedding operation;a plurality of TEC units each configured to hold at least one of themicrotome sectionable supports during the tissue embedding operation; amotorized carrier assembly mounted for movement and configured to holdat least one of the microtome sectionable supports and move the onemicrotome sectionable support from said input member to one of saidcooling units to said output member; and a staging device mounted formovement between said cooling units and including a setting headoperative to move the support from the first position to the secondposition and a dispenser operating to dispense an embedding materialrespectively onto the microtome sectionable supports and at least onetissue sample carried by each of the microtome sectionable supportsduring the embedding operation.
 30. The automated machine of claim 29,further comprising: a sensor operative to detect an amount of theembedding material dispensed onto the microtome sectionable support. 31.The automated machine of claim 29, wherein the TEC units each furthercomprise a support member with a cooling plate operated by a thermalelectric control, and a mold coupled to said cooling plate, said moldconfigured to hold the microtome sectionable support and the embeddingmaterial dispensed by said dispenser.
 32. The automated machine of claim29, wherein the input member comprises an elongate basket configured tovertically hold and dispense a stack of the microtome sectionablesupports.
 33. The automated machine of claim 32, wherein said elongatebasket includes a dispensing opening at a lower end thereof and furthercomprising: a movable member configured to urge the microtomesectionable supports toward said lower end.
 34. The automated machine ofclaim 29, further comprising a heater thermally coupled to said inputmember for heating the microtome sectionable supports.
 35. The automatedmachine of claim 29, wherein at least two different sizes of microtomesectionable supports may be handled and embedded in the machine and themachine further comprises: a first mold and a second mold thermallycoupled with each TEC unit, said first mold configured to receive amicrotome sectionable support of one configuration and said second moldconfigured to receive a microtome sectionable support of a differentconfiguration; and a sensor operative to detect the configuration of themicrotome sectionable support, said carrier assembly responsive to theconfiguration detected by said sensor to transport one of the microtomesectionable supports to either said first mold or said second mold. 36.The automated machine of claim 29, wherein the embedding materialcomprises paraffin, and the machine further comprises: a reservoircoupled in fluid communication with said dispenser and configured tohold and heat the paraffin in a liquified form.
 37. The automatedmachine of claim 29, wherein said carrier further comprises a pair offingers configured to grip opposite sides of one of the microtomesectionable supports.
 38. The automated machine of claim 29, furthercomprising: a cabinet structure having an interior containing said TECunits, said motorized carrier assembly and said dispenser, wherein saidinput member and said output member may be opened from outside saidcabinet structure to allow the microtome sectionable supports to beloaded into the input member and, after preparation of the tissuesamples, unloaded from the output member.
 39. The automated machine ofclaim 38, wherein the input and output members each comprise hingeddoors of the cabinet structure.
 40. An automated method of embeddingtissue samples on microtome sectionable supports, comprising: loading aplurality of the microtome sectionable supports, each having a tissuesample thereon, into an input device, serially unloading the microtomesectionable supports from the input device using a motorized carrier,using the carrier to load the microtome sectionable supports into aplurality of respective molds, introducing liquid embedding materialinto the respective molds, hardening the liquid embedding material ineach mold with the tissue sample and associated microtome sectionablesupport contained at least partially therein, and unloading themicrotome sectionable supports and embedded tissue samples from themolds.
 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the microtome sectionablesupports further comprise first and second microtome sectionablesupports having different configurations and the molds further comprisefirst and second molds having configurations corresponding to the firstand second microtome sectionable supports, and the method furthercomprises: detecting the configurations of the microtome sectionablesupports as at least either the first or second microtome sectionablesupports, and loading the microtome sectionable supports into the firstor second mold depending on the detected configuration.
 42. The methodof claim 40 further comprising: initially heating the microtomesectionable supports in the molds prior to hardening the liquidembedding material.
 43. An automated method of embedding tissue sampleson microtome sectionable supports contained in frame members,comprising: loading a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports,each having a tissue sample thereon, into an input device, seriallyunloading the microtome sectionable supports from the input device usinga motorized carrier, using the carrier to load the microtome sectionablesupports into a plurality of respective molds, staging the microtomesectionable supports into the respective molds by moving each microtomesectionable support and the tissue sample contained thereon through theframe such that the tissue sample is at least partially exposed outsideof the frame, introducing liquid embedding material into the respectivemolds, hardening the liquid embedding material in each mold with thetissue sample and associated microtome sectionable support contained atleast partially therein, and unloading the microtome sectionablesupports and embedded tissue samples from the molds.
 44. The method ofclaim 43, wherein the microtome sectionable supports further comprisefirst and second microtome sectionable supports having differentconfigurations and the molds further comprise first and second moldshaving configurations corresponding to the first and second microtomesectionable supports, and the method further comprises: detecting theconfigurations of the microtome sectionable supports as at least eitherthe first or second microtome sectionable supports, and loading themicrotome sectionable supports into the first or second mold dependingon the detected configuration.
 45. The method of claim 43 furthercomprising: initially heating the microtome sectionable supports in themolds prior to hardening the liquid embedding material.
 46. An automatedmethod of embedding tissue samples on microtome sectionable cassettescontained in frame members, comprising: loading a plurality of themicrotome sectionable cassettes, each having a tissue sample containedtherein, into an input device, serially unloading the microtomesectionable cassettes from the input device using a motorized carrier,using the carrier to load the microtome sectionable cassettes into aplurality of respective molds, staging the microtome sectionablecassettes into the respective molds by moving each microtome sectionablecassette and the tissue sample contained therein through the frame suchthat the tissue sample and a portion of the cassette are at leastpartially exposed outside of the frame, introducing liquid paraffin intothe respective molds, cooling the liquid paraffin in each mold with thetissue sample and associated microtome sectionable cassette contained atleast partially therein, and unloading the microtome sectionablecassettes and embedded tissue samples from the molds.
 47. The method ofclaim 46, wherein the microtome sectionable cassettes further comprisefirst and second microtome sectionable cassettes having differentconfigurations and the molds further comprise first and second moldshaving configurations corresponding to the first and second microtomesectionable cassettes, and the method further comprises: detecting theconfigurations of the microtome sectionable cassettes as at least eitherthe first or second microtome sectionable cassettes, and loading themicrotome sectionable cassettes into the first or second mold dependingon the detected configuration.
 48. The method of claim 46 furthercomprising: initially heating the microtome sectionable cassettes in themolds prior to hardening the liquid embedding material.
 49. An automatedmethod of embedding tissue samples on microtome sectionable cassettescontained in frame members, comprising: loading a plurality of themicrotome sectionable cassettes, each having a tissue sample containedtherein, into an input device, serially unloading the microtomesectionable cassettes from the input device using a motorized carrier,using the carrier to load the microtome sectionable cassettes into aplurality of respective molds, using a motorized staging device to moveto the respective molds and stage the microtome sectionable cassettesinto the respective molds by moving each microtome sectionable cassetteand the tissue sample contained therein through the frame such that thetissue sample and a portion of the cassette are at least partiallyexposed outside of the frame, introducing liquid paraffin into therespective molds, cooling the liquid paraffin in each mold with thetissue sample and associated microtome sectionable cassette contained atleast partially therein, and unloading the microtome sectionablecassettes and embedded tissue samples from the molds into an outputdevice configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionablecassettes and embedded tissue samples.
 50. The method of claim 49,wherein the microtome sectionable cassettes further comprise first andsecond microtome sectionable cassettes having different configurationsand the molds further comprise first and second molds havingconfigurations corresponding to the first and second microtomesectionable cassettes, and the method further comprises: detecting theconfigurations of the microtome sectionable cassettes as at least eitherthe first or second microtome sectionable cassettes, and loading themicrotome sectionable cassettes into the first or second mold dependingon the detected configuration.
 51. The method of claim 49 furthercomprising: initially heating the microtome sectionable cassettes in themolds prior to hardening the liquid embedding material.
 52. An automatedmethod of embedding tissue samples on microtome sectionable cassettescontained in frame members, comprising: loading a plurality of themicrotome sectionable cassettes, each having a tissue sample containedtherein, into a perforated input basket, serially unloading themicrotome sectionable cassettes from the input basket using grippingfingers on a motorized carrier, using the gripping fingers to load themicrotome sectionable cassettes into a plurality of respective molds,moving a motorized staging/filling device adjacent to the respectivemolds, staging the microtome sectionable cassettes into the respectivemolds with the staging/filling device by moving each microtomesectionable cassette and the tissue sample contained therein through theframe such that the tissue sample and a portion of the cassette are atleast partially exposed outside of the frame, introducing liquidparaffin into the respective molds from the staging/filling device,cooling the liquid paraffin in each mold with the tissue sample andassociated microtome sectionable cassette contained at least partiallytherein, and unloading the microtome sectionable cassettes and embeddedtissue samples from the molds into an output device configured to hold aplurality of the microtome sectionable cassettes and embedded tissuesamples.
 53. The method of claim 52, wherein the microtome sectionablecassettes further comprise first and second microtome sectionablecassettes having different configurations and the molds further comprisefirst and second molds having configurations corresponding to the firstand second microtome sectionable cassettes, and the method furthercomprises: detecting the configurations of the microtome sectionablecassettes as at least either the first or second microtome sectionablecassettes, and loading the microtome sectionable cassettes into thefirst or second mold depending on the detected configuration.
 54. Themethod of claim 52 further comprising: initially heating the microtomesectionable cassettes in the molds prior to hardening the liquidembedding material.
 55. A cassette for holding a tissue sample,comprising: a body including a bottom wall and at least one side wallextending upwardly with respect to said bottom wall to define aninterior space for receiving the tissue sample; and a sensing elementassociated with said body and configured to allow an automated sensingsystem to determine at least one characteristic of the cassette.
 56. Thecassette of claim 55, wherein the sensing element further comprises oneor more holes.
 57. The cassette of claim 55, wherein the sensing elementis machine readable.
 58. The cassette of claim 55, wherein the sensingelement comprises machine readable indicia.